The Trees, Part 2

In the back I have one dawn redwood, one Rose Hill ash--yes, I like those two varieties of tree, which is why I planted them--and a quarter of my neighbor's intruding sycamore over in the corner. (In autumn I also receive the leaves of my other neighbor's honey locusts--pesky, dirty trees.) 

The back yard trees are also big now. I watch them from my deck and back windows. They, too, are mine. We have grown old together, although the reality is less dramatic than that sounds.

Next door, to the east, right on the property line, the four pines throw their needles all over my lawns and anywhere else on my property they choose. I sweep and rake up bags full of them.  The Joneses put those trees in, and they--the pines--have grown to be enormous.  I would cut those pines down, if I had the say-so, but I don't. One is diseased. Anyone can see that. 

A new family has bought that house now. We'll see. What we'll see is whether or not they feel responsible for the reckless scattering of pine needles and do some cleaning up, whether they have the strength to take out the diseased tree. Bakers--second owners of the house--occasionally cleaned up needles but were in denial about the diseased tree. 

I haven't mentioned the twelve cedar trees that line the fence between our properties. Those cedars do not get the trimming they need, and so they occupy space on my side of the fence. I know, that sounds just too picky, and I'm really not that picky, but I have to mention the cedars because of the pines. That's what I'm thinking. Actually, on the other hand and in a spirit of fairness, I must say the cedars are not so bad, because they do provide privacy on both sides of the fence.